Here are two recipes from “Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini” by Elizabeth Schneider (HarperCollins, $60).
Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash 1 teaspoon salt 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced 1/4 cup sliced sweet pickled ginger 1 large pepper, diced 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds Leaves from 1 bunch cilantro 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Preparation:
Cook squash. [See “notes about spaghetti sqash” if you need instructions on roasting, steaming, or microwaving.] Pull out strands and put into a colander set in a bowl. Sprinkle squash with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss, then cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Toss cucumbers with pickled ginger, pepper, sesame seeds and cilantro. Refrigerate.
Make dressing by combining remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt with chili flakes, sherry vinegar, rice vinegar, sesame oil and corn oil.
When ready to serve, combine drained squash, cucumbers and ginger and pepper mixture. Toss with dressing and serve immediately.